Tempting Thornybush Tiramisu

It's not all about new and exciting experiences when you visit Thornybush Collection. Sometimes our chefs haul out the old favourites too – only better. Read on for our take on Tiramisu and see if you can replicate it at home.

Boudoir Biscuit Tiramisu

Ingredients

250ml Strong black coffee

65ml Brandy or Kahlua coffee liqueur

200g Packet Boudoir (Lady Finger) biscuits

2 Jumbo eggs, separated

65ml Castor sugar

10ml Vanilla essence

250g Mascarpone

250ml Cream, stiffly beaten

30ml Cocoa powder

Method

Grease a 20cm square dish

Mix the brandy or Kahlua and coffee together, then dip the finger biscuits into the mixture, ensuring that they soak up the moisture

Lay the biscuits flat in the bottom of the dish

Beat the egg yolks and sugar together until thick and creamy and mix in the vanilla essence

Add the mascarpone and stir gently until combined, then lightly fold in the whipped cream

Beat the egg whites to soft peak stage and fold into the mixture

Spoon this mix over the biscuits

Place the tray in the refrigerator and chill until firm

Lightly dust the Tiramisu with cocoa powder before serving.

Food for thought

Tiramisu first rose to popularity in the '70s and it has been an after-dinner hit ever since. The name 'tiramisu' literally means 'pick me up'. This stems from its origins as a treat for those who were feeling ill, or for mothers who had just been through the rigours of labour. There are several schools of thought as to who first dished up this dessert for public consumption. Most of these give credit to the kitchens of Le Beccherie Restaurant in Treviso, Italy which featured the dish on its menu during the 1960s. However, baker Carminantonio Lannaccone contests this, saying that his bakery provided this confection for Le Beccherie. Other accounts refer to tiramisu being served 'between courses' at many Italian houses of ill-repute as early as 1958. The first printed recipes of tiramisu certainly only appeared in the 1960s. Although the original recipe differs slightly from the liqueur-laced creations of today, the basic elements of silky deliciousness remain the same. Varieties with extra ingredients and flavours such as fruit and mint are not considered legitimate tiramisu, although they are just as delicious.

We don't really mind who invented it, or who gets the credit. We are just happy to have chefs at Thornybush Collection who are talented enough to make it as well as they do.